Improvement in wood-splitting machines



` @uiten tstrs gstmt @ffies LEONARD ,TILTON OF BROOKLYN, E. D., NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 65,303, dated llfay 28, 1867.

IMPROVEMENTIN WOOD-SPLITTIN G MACHINES,

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY'CONCERN: A i

Be it known that I, LEONARD TILTON, of Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented a new and improved Machine for Splitting Wood; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the artto make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This Vinvention relates toa new and improved machine for splitting wood for lire-kindling purposes; and it consists of two reciprocating V-shaped knives'ror cutters and a swinging holder, arranged in relationwith a hopper, and operated as hereinafter fully shown and described, whereby wood may be split into small or thin square pieces very expeditiously, and with but a moderate expenditure of power.

Figure 1 is a side sectional View of my invention, taken in the line :c 1:, g. 3.

Figure 2, a transverse 'vertical section of the same, taken inthe line y y', tig. 1; and

Figure 3, a plan or top view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate vcorresponding parts.

A represents the framing of the machine, on which there is a slide or an adjustable plate, B, having a shaft, O, tted transversely upon it at its inner end. On this shaft G there is firmly keyed a cam, D, composed of a circular plate, o, having au irregular curved groove, b, at one side of it, (see iig. 1.) This groove b receives the friction-roller c of a bar, E, which has a slide, F, attached to its outer end, said slide working between guide-plates d d on the frame A, and having the .V-shaped cutters G G attached to it, one cutter beingV above the other; but the cutters having a rever-se position relatively with each other, as shown clearly in tig. 2. i The lower cutter G projects alittle in front of the upper cutter G, as shown in fig. 1, and both cutters work into a hopper, H, through slots e in one side thereof. The hopper H' is composed ot' two vertical parts, ff, secured together by set-screws y, and the part j' is connected with the guide-plates ol d', which, in consequence of being adjustable, admit of the hopper being enlarged in a direction longitudinally with the frame of the machine, to suit theV length ot' the sticks to be split. I represents a swinging trame, suspended on a shaft, J, which is tted in brackets h attached to the upperv part of the hopper H. To the lower part of this frame I there is secured a holder, K, of V-forn1,lil-:e the cutters G G', and having its angle uppermost like the lower cutter G. One side of the frame I has a rod, L, connected to it, and said rod passes loosely through an arm, M, which projects laterally from the sl-ide F. The rod L has two adjustable knobs, e e', upon it, one at each side of the arm M; and between the arm M and the knob e on rod L a spiral spring, N, is placed, as shown clearly in iig. 3. Y v

The operation is as follows: The wood to be split is sawed into pieces of a suitable length and placed in the hopper H so that its grain will have a horizontal position, and be inline with the cutters G G when Athe latter are acting upon it. The cam-groove b is of such a shape that it will move the cutters G G to their work slowly, and move them back quickly, considerable power being required in former case, and little power required in the latter case. The upper cutter G, being shorter than the lower one G', simply checks the-wood or stick, and the lower one splits the pieces entirely 0tl` from the wood or stick. When the cutters G G are drawn back out from the hopper I-Lthe wood or stick is held or supported by the holder K, which is swung or brought under the hopper H by the backward movement of the slide F, the rod L forming the connection between the slide F and the holder-frame'I, and the spring N admitting of the slide F completeing its backward movement without causing the rod L to be drawn in any appreciable degree upon the frame I after the latter has arrived at a vertical position, and theholder K brought underneath the hopper to support the wooden stick within it. In consequence of the cutters G G having a reverse position relatively with each other, and one cutter being placed above the other, as shown, the cuts of the lower cutter G intersect the cuts of the upper cutter, and the wooden stick will be split into small square pieces, the holder K, when underneath the hopper, being a short distance below the line of movement oi' the lower lcutter G', and the dropping of the wood or stick upon the .holder K on' the withdrawal of the cutters from the hopper 'constituting the feed movement. The shortening of' the cutters G G by wear is compensated for by adjusting the plate B forward, the latter being held in position by set-screws a', (secig. 3.) The adjustable guide-plates d d are also held' in position by set-screws b.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The two reciprocating cutters Gr G of' V-'oim, placed one above the other in reverse positions, and the lower cutter G in advance of the upper one G, Substantially as and for' the purpose sot forth.

2. The hopper H, in combination with the cutters G G and the holder K, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

3. Operating the holder K from the slide to which the cutters are attached by means of the rod L, connected with the slide, as shown, and the spring N, as set forth.

4. onstructing the hopper H of the vertical ports ff', one ot" which, f, is adjustable, for the purpose of adapting the hopper to suit the length of the sticks to be split, as shown and described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 13th dayfof March, 1867.

LEONARD TILTOlv Witnesses:

WM. lF. MCNAMARA, ALEX. F. ROBERTS. 

